Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a common side effect of cyclophosphamide therapy, which deserves new therapeutic strategies, such as those based on natural products. The ethanol extract of the inner bark of Caesalpinia pyramidalis (Tul.) (EECp) possesses anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, and antioxidant activities as previously showed by our group. We have investigated the effect of EECp on the cyclophosphamide-induced HC. Cystitis was induced in male Wistar rats by the injection of cyclophosphamide. These animals were pretreated with EECp (100–400 mg/kg), vehicle, or mesna. Myeloperoxidase activity and malondialdehyde formation were measured in urinary bladder and other tissues. Bladder edema and histopathological alterations and serum nitric oxide metabolites concentration NOx − were also evaluated. Treatment with EECp (100–400 mg/kg) or mesna impaired the increase of myeloperoxidase activity in urinary bladder and the serum NOx − induced by cyclophosphamide but did not reduce edema in this tissue, as did mesna. Total histological score was reduced by EECp (100 mg/kg). Lung myeloperoxidase activity, which was increased by cyclophosphamide, was decreased significantly by EECp (400 mg/kg). EECp also diminished the malondialdehyde formation in bladder, lung, and spleen, although these parameters were not affected by cyclophosphamide. These results indicate that EECp reduced urinary bladder damage during cyclophosphamide-induced HC in rats.

Versão on-line em Português/Inglês: http://www.scielo.br/ scielo.php?script=sci_serial&pid=1983-1447&lng=pt&nrm=iso Pereira DS, Araújo TSSL, Gois CFL, Gois Júnior JP, Rodriguez EOL, Santos V. Occupational stressors among nurses working in urgent and emergency care units. Rev Gaúcha Enferm. 2013;34(4):55-61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1983-1447.2014 OCCUPATIONAL STRESSORS AMONG NURSES WORKING IN URGENT AND EMERGENCY CARE UNITS ABSTRACTThe study aimed to assess occupational stressors among nurses working in urgent and emergency care facilities. It is a descriptive research developed in two public hospitals of different complexity degrees, with 49 nurses. Data were collected from June to September 2011. The Bianchi's Stress Scale, which is composed of six domains: Relationship, Unit functioning, Staff management, Nursing care, Unit coordination, and Work conditions was used to assess occupational stressors based on the regular activities performed by nurses. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and Mann Whitney-U test. For the nurses working in the high complexity healthcare facility -hospital A the most stressful domain was Nursing care, while for those professionals working in the medium complexity healthcare facility -hospital B, Staff management was the most stressful domain. The nurses from hospital A perceived carerelated activities as more stressful, while for those in hospital B administrative activities were considered more stressful.

Monoterpenes, compounds mainly presented in essential oils, have important pharmacological actions. Isopropoxy-carvacrol (IPC) is a derivative of the monoterpene carvacrol, and its pharmacological properties have not yet been investigated. The aim of this study was to analyse the acute anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties of IPC. Mice (25-30 g) and rats (150-230 g) were pre-treated (i.p.) with IPC at the doses of 10, 30 or 100 mg/kg or vehicle (Tween 80, 0.5%), 30 min. before injection of the phlogistic agents. Both the first and the second phases of formalin-induced nociception were significantly reduced by IPC (100 mg/kg). Injection of carrageenan in mice paw reduced the threshold of stimulus intensity, applied with an analgesymeter, necessary to cause paw withdrawal, which was significantly reduced by 100 mg/kg of IPC. The area under curve (0-4 hr) of rat paw oedema induced by injection of carrageenan was also significantly diminished by the administration of IPC (100 mg/kg). Administration of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) markedly increased mice ear oedema and myeloperidase (MPO) activity. Topical co-administration of IPC (0.3-3 mg/ear) during the induction did not affect TPA-induced ear oedema, but significantly decreased MPO activity in the ears, when compared with the vehicle. In in vitro experiments, IPC reduced lipoperoxidation induced by different stimuli, showed nitric oxide scavenger activity and did not interfere with murine macrophage viability in concentrations up to 100 lg/mL. These results demonstrate that IPC exerts acute anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities, suggesting that it may represent an alternative in the development of new future therapeutic strategies.